Page 8 of Playing to Win
“Why?” Callie looked to the sky.
“Because I want to. I like you, Curly. You made me forget how tired I was. You didn’t put me on a pedestal. You made me feel normal. I haven’t felt like that in a really, really long time.”
“Oh, not you,” she replied, waving a hand in his face. “I was asking God why I was chosen to be the one you decided to stalk.”
What Callie thought would make Kelly angry seemed to have the opposite effect on him. Instead, he let out a big laugh and shook his head. “No way, Callie, my girl. You. Me. Studying. I was on the dean’s list in college, you know. At Duke.”
“Well, color me impressed. And here I thought you were just another dumb jock.”
“Ouch. That one hurt, Curly. I was a double major. Sports medicine and occupational therapy. Figured if I couldn’t play I might as well be able to help people who could.”
Callie looked at him in surprise. She tried to pass it off, but she really did just figure him for a usual jock. Feeling bad for misreading him and thinking about how much her dad would love having Kelly at his house, she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, looked Kelly in the eye and said, “Fine. I’m not one to shirk on a bet. You have a deal.”
“Your dad, too?”
She sighed. “Yes. As much as I’m not looking forward to it, I know it would be the greatest present I could ever give my dad.”
“Wow, I figured I would really have to talk you into that one. You cave easy, Curly,” he said, pulling on one of her curls.
“Only because I really love my daddy.”
“Would you do me a favor, though? Ask him to try his best not to put me on a pedestal? I’d like to be treated like a normal guy.”
“I’ll do my best. But if he asks you to sign his chest, I’m taking no responsibility.”
“You have yourself a deal.”
